Polk County, home of the most Republican voters in Iowa, will see a beehive of GOP presidential hopefuls in the area next month trying to create buzz.

Mitt Romney, who has visited Iowa only once this year, will be here for a Aug. 10 house party on the south side of Des Moines hosted by Nick Van Patten and Tommy and Jessica Ghrist, according to Polk County GOP officials.

That’s the same day as the Iowa State Fair parade in Des Moines.

Romney is piggybacking on a previously-announced trip to Iowa for the nationally-televised GOP debate Aug. 11. He will depart before the Aug. 13 straw poll in Ames, the event he won four years ago but has chosen not to compete in this time.

The week before, Newt Gingrich will be the highlight of a lawn party at Corrine and Greg Ganske’s home in Des Moines’s Waterbury neighborhood on Aug. 4.

Gingrich, whose campaign is suffering from financial woes, isn’t setting up a tent at the straw poll, either.

On Aug. 7, Michele Bachmann will be at Fort Des Moines for a two-hour event, Polk County GOP officials said.

All the candidates vying for a strong finish in the all-important Aug. 13 strong poll will almost certainly campaign in Polk County in early August – they’re schedules just aren’t out yet.

All the presidential candidates are invited to the Polk County Republican Picnic on Aug. 27.

Here’s the Polk County GOP’s calendar so far:

THURSDAY, AUG. 4: White House 2012 Lawn Party with special guest, Newt Gingrich, a former Speaker of the U.S. House of Representatives. The free event, complete with ice cream, lemonade, hot dogs and politicking, will be at the residence of Drs. Corrine and Greg Ganske at 5206 Waterbury Road, Des Moines from 6-8 p.m.

SUNDAY, AUG. 7: Sunday, August 7: White House 2012 Party with special guest Rep. Michele Bachmann of Minnesota. The free event, open to the public, will be 5-7 p.m. at the Fort Des Moines Museum and Education Center, 75 Army Post Road, Des Moines.

WEDNESDAY, AUG. 10: Road to the White House Republican House Party with special guest Mitt Romney, a former governor of Massachusetts. It will be hosted by Nick Van Patten and Tom and Jessica Ghrist in Des Moines.

Tickets are $50 per person or $125 for sponsors and $250 for hosts. Guests will be given complimentary tickets to the Polk County GOP Summer Picnic.

SATURDAY: AUG. 27: Polk County Republican Picnic, Road to the White House 2012 Presidential Forum from 5-8 p.m. All presidential candidates invited. It will be at the Iowa State Fairgrounds at Jalapeno Pete’s.